Christian Meditation Centering Prayer Guided Audio Video 25 3 2020 Wisdom Centre Romsey3

Meditation on Covid-19 Corona Virus. Christian Meditation / Centering Prayer-
Transcript
For our ‘Lenten fast’ this year we have been presented with restrictions to our personal freedom. We, and others of the world are called to slow down and collectively reflect on the human condition, while also being mindful of what forced isolation means for the vulnerable elderly and those with mental health conditions who are now isolated from the lifeline of social contact.
In the commercial world, obsession with status and material goods has been swept aside. We, and other nations fear for our health, we are barred from spending unnecessary time outside our homes, and ‘non-essential workers’, are not permitted to go to work. Things have suddenly changed, never in my memory has the banker, international CEO, or school child been pushed to the margins while the supermarket shelf stacker and delivery driver are elevated to key worker status alongside front line NHS staff. Covid-19 brings equality. Prince Charles and Boris Johnson our PM have the virus
Previously Meaningful hierarchical structures have not just fragmented, they have completely reversed. In this Covid- 19 crisis, luxury consumer goods remain on the shelves, and ‘non- essential stores’ selling clothing and electronics have been forced to closed. Outside the supermarket people of all backgrounds queue up, strictly two metres apart to by toilet tissue.
The readings for this Sunday 29th March are uncannily appropriate. The Lord shows the Prophet Ezekiel a valley of bones. Here, in desolation, the spiritually dead of Gods people Israel are called to hear the word of the Lord. In coming to know the Lord, the dead are alive once again with God’s spirit in them and are called to act and turn back to God to both fulfil his purposes ( Ezekiel 37:1-14), and seek redemption (Psalm 130).
With so many of us exiled to home working and isolation, there is plenty of opportunity to consider what is important. Possibly for the first time since the second world war we have been asked to take part in something greater, to understand the importance of our spiritual lives in bringing peace (Romans 8:6), recognising that self-interest is hostile to God (Romans 7). Not submitting to authority as we have been called to do will almost certainly damage the health of our human community. This Lent our fast calls us to accept some discomfort and boredom to protect someone else, to protect the vulnerable, the health worker, the delivery driver and the supermarket worker. Protecting others is to answer to the Spirit of Christ in us and do what is right for the common good, (Romans 8:9-10). This Lent we are called to think of humanity as one part of life on Earth. We are, on our own, unimportant, we are part of a unified, non-hierarchical and self-sustaining system. Like it or not, coronavirus is part of this system. We are mortal and (Romans 8:11), no one is exempt from the possibility of infection- when it comes to the reality of Covid-19, we really are equal.
Without status, we are called to reflect on Gods seeking to reconcile the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). Indeed, God’s creation is always aiming for internal balance and uses our experiences to achieve this. Through our crisis, we may reach the point of no return, broken and bereft, our grand ideas for ourselves have come to a sudden pause, and it is time to search our minds and hearts. In conditions like these, the human community seeks new life and ultimately has no choice but to appeal to God for regeneration. Realising our weakness, we cannot face such a large-scale crisis on our own and search for God in profound ways.
Yet God is hidden in plain sight, while Covid-19 forces us into isolation, shuts our factories, ends our commute to work and grounds air travel, as pollution clears God is renewing his handiwork, the planet is healing. Many will see God at work in the pictures of dolphins reclaiming the waters near the port of Cagliari, Sardinia, and shoals of tiny fish glittering under the sun in Venice’s canals.
While human suffering is not necessary for these things to happen, perhaps the message is that while those who have been lost cannot be raised, we can wake up from our sleep and be spiritually restored. (John 11:12) Humanity can rise out of this crisis to new life.
Rather than living on the planet, we are living with the planet, rather than looking out for ourselves, we look after our neighbour. But first, we need to believe in Him, come out of our cave and unbind ourselves from our present life. ( John 11:44). With faith comes new life and the courage to rethink our role within God’s Kingdom. In the words of the Roman Philosopher Seneca “We are waves of the same sea, leaves of the same tree, flowers of the same garden.” This is a time to renew our faith and be raised to life in Christ.